Mysterious Intruder
by Anithrarith1
Summary: Faye Rowess goes to Hogwarts and mysterious things begin happening after a new person appears at Hogwarts... Rated PG for upcoming events. :)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, places, ideas, or such used in this story.  
  
Author's Note: I had a lot to cover in this chapter, and I had to get through a lot of stuff. The upcoming chapters will be more exciting, I promise! :-)  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The Mystery and the Letter  
  
Amee Rowess looked outside her bedroom window and sighed. It was about this time 10 years ago that she had lost someone very dear to her - her best friend from school. She thought about her friend. She wondered about her friend's son. What had happened to him? "Oh, why didn't you listen to me?" she asked aloud. But there was no answer. It was too late now, too late to talk to her friend ever again. She thought about her and her husband's argument a few days ago. Maybe he was right. Maybe her daughter, Faye, should know. She just wanted to protect her daughter. She didn't know what to do. It was hard being a parent.  
  
Faye Rowess looked outside her bedroom window and sighed. It was a beautiful late July day. The sun was shining, the neighborhood children playing outside with the water hose, the birds singing. But she wasn't as happy as the others outside her window. She desperately wanted to know what her parents, Amelia and Aaron Rowess, were hiding from her. Whatever it was, it was, it was important. The other day, she had eavesdropped on them arguing in the kitchen.  
  
"Aaron, do you really think we should tell her?" asked her mom.  
  
"Yes Amee, I do," said Aaron, her dad. "I think she should know. You told me! What is it that you think you'll gain from keeping this, this part of her life and family, away from her?"  
  
"Nothing, really. I just want to save her from a possible disappointment."  
  
"What do you mean, disappointment?" her dad asked angrily. "It's about that school, isn't it?"  
  
"Aaron, it's not just any school." she began.  
  
"Oh, seriously! I mean, she's not dumb. She's going to figure out sooner or later and then how will you explain all this? It will be easier for her to take it if you just tell her," her dad persisted.  
  
"Alright. We'll wait and see if she gets her letter. If she doesn't, I'm not telling her. If she does, I'll have to." Her mom said.  
  
"If that letter doesn't get here in three days, I'll tell her myself!" her dad said, storming out of the kitchen. Faye then had to pretend that she was reading in the living room so he wouldn't know she had heard..  
  
Faye wanted to know what this was all about. Zoë, her dog, leaped onto the bed. She petted her.  
  
"Oh, Zoë, I wish I knew what all this was about." She said. Zoë licked her face. "I wonder what school they were talking about? A new middle school? Surely it isn't that important," she added. Zoë jumped off and started chasing her tail. Faye smiled. Her dog could be really cute sometimes. She reached for her camera and snapped a picture. Zoë was a golden retriever, only three years old. She had gotten her around this time of year last year.  
  
Then her mom's cat, Sorrow, slunk into the room. Zoë hid under Faye's bed. Zoë had never liked Sorrow. Sorrow, Faye thought, what an awful name for a cat. But, Sorrow was a black cat, walked slowly and sorrowfully, and they had gotten her when Hope, Faye's older sister, left. Her mom never spoke about her, not anymore. Hope had run away from home because she was afraid that her mother would disapprove of the man she was going to marry. Her mom didn't know that, and anyway, her mom didn't disapprove, at least her mother never showed any disapproval of that man anyway. What was his name? Faye asked herself. Oh yeah! George was his name. Hope had left when Faye was really young.  
  
Faye remembered little about Hope, but she knew that there was something different about her, that she could never place. It wasn't like she could ask her mom or anything. Whenever anyone said anything about Hope or even the word "hope", tears would come to her mother's eyes and she turned away. So now, nobody said anything about hope, in her house or around her mom. Faye wondered why her mom never accepted it or got over it. She had asked her mom once, but she had just said that she felt guilty about it. Faye didn't know why. It wasn't her mom's fault Hope ran away; her mom had never even yelled at Hope for wanting to get married early in life, nevertheless who she wanted to marry. Faye stroked Sorrow's fur. But Sorrow didn't like her much, and she jumped up and ran out the door. Zoë poked her head out from under Faye's bed.  
  
Faye made up her mind. She was going to find out what this was all about. "Zoë," she said, "I'm going to get up early tomorrow morning to check the mail, and every other morning until that letter comes!"  
  
~~~~~ Actually, Faye slept through her alarm clock and woke up at 8:15 AM. "Shoot!" she said to a sleepy Zoë. "I'm probably too late!" She trotted down the stairs with Zoë and crept towards the door, silently. There was a letter for her. She tore it open without looking at whom it was from. It was from her Aunt Mary. She impatiently grabbed all of the letters and dashed upstairs to her room. She read her Aunt Mary's letter and quickly wrote a reply. Then she dumped the letters on her bed and started sorting them into little piles. "Bills, bills, bills, more bills, ads from K-Mart; how can adults stand this stuff? A letter from Samantha for Mom, and a letter for me!" She didn't know whom it was from, because it didn't have a return address. It was written in emerald green ink, and had a very strange seal on the back. It was divided into four portions, one yellow, green, red, and blue. The green one had a silver snake on it, the yellow had a black badger on it, the red portion had a gold lion, and the blue one had a silver raven.  
  
Faye opened the door and ran down the stairs. She threw the bills at her dad, who was making coffee. "AIR MAIL!" she shouted.  
  
She ran past her very-surprised father, into the hall, colliding with her mom, who was carrying tea. It spilled all over the floor. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Faye said, bending down to help her clean up the tea.  
  
"That's OK, but watch where you're going. Why are you running around like a fool?" her mother asked.  
  
"I - um - got the mail. Here are some K-Mart ads and a letter from Samantha," she said, giving them to her suspicious mother.  
  
"I doubt that's why you are so happy." Her mom said slyly.  
  
"Well, there is another letter; it's addressed to 'Ms. F. Rowess'," Faye replied slowly.  
  
"Let me see it," her mom said, reaching out and taking the letter in Faye's outstretched hand. She took one glance at it, and a grin spread over her face. "The same old green ink, the same old seal. Yup, that's Hogwarts alright," her mom said.  
  
"Hogwarts? What's Hogwarts?" Faye asked. "A new store or something? Or is it that school you and Dad were talking about the other day?" she added slyly.  
  
Her mom looked at her dad. He gave her an obnoxious "I-told-you-so" look. Faye knew that she had guessed right.  
  
"Come over here, Faye." Her mom said, walking over to the purple couch. "There's something important I have to tell you."  
  
"About Hogwarts," Faye said triumphantly.  
  
"See, I told you she wasn't dumb." Her father said as he walked by, sticking his tongue out at her mother behind her back.  
  
"Oh, shut up Aaron! Oops! Did I really say that?" her mom asked. Faye tried hard not to laugh.  
  
"Yeah," Faye replied.  
  
"Well, anyway, this letter is very important," her mom replied.  
  
Duh! Faye thought. Like I don't know that already! Little did Faye know, this letter would change her life forever..  
  
~~~~~  
  
"You've got to be kidding me!" Faye said, looking at her mom.  
  
"Nope." Her mom replied.  
  
"Let me get this straight: Magic runs in your family, you're a witch, I'm a witch, and I have to go to this magic school, Hogwarts?" said Faye, recapping everything that her mom had said in the past hour.  
  
Her mother nodded. "Unreal!" Faye exclaimed. "This is so cool! Wait until I tell Emily about this!"  
  
"No," her mom said, making Faye's smile fade. "You can't tell anyone who isn't magical. They won't understand."  
  
"Oh," Faye said, "that stinks. But anyway, how do they know who are and aren't witches and wizards? I mean, even I didn't know until now!"  
  
"With magic, everything is possible. Almost everything, I mean." Her mom said, smiling. "Remember when you were really mad at Mr. Bayovar for giving you a 'B' on your social studies test?" her mom asked.  
  
"Yeah! I wanted him to make a fool of himself or blow up, and all of the sudden he started swelling up like a balloon!" Faye said, chuckling at the memory of it. That had been the talk of the school for weeks afterwards.  
  
".And the time when you wanted to win the long jump contest really badly, and you jumped 30 feet? And the time when." her mom begun.  
  
"OK, OK, I get the point. So do young wizards and witches get to practice magic anytime they want?" Faye asked, hoping her mom would say she yes.  
  
"Unfortunately, no. Normally, for young witches and wizards, magic just 'happens' when they have extreme feelings, especially when they're very angry or sad." Her mom replied. "All of the times you made magic was when you were angry or sad."  
  
"So, what about Hogwarts?" Faye asked.  
  
Her mom smiled. "Read this," she said, handing the letter back. Faye opened the letter. It read: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry ~*~ Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc. , Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)  
  
Dear Ms. Rowess, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no late than July 31. Yours Sincerely, Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress  
  
"Wow," was all Faye could say. This was a dream come true. She was a witch and had magical powers!  
  
"Magic runs in the family," her mom said.  
  
"Is Dad a wizard?" Faye asked.  
  
Her mom laughed. "No, he's a Muggle."  
  
"Muggle?" Faye questioned.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. A Muggle is a non-magic person." Her mom replied. "But sometimes I wonder about your father.. But no, he is not a wizard."  
  
Faye reached over and took the list of supplies from her mother. There was lots of interesting things on there. "Wow! Look at all this stuff! Where do we get it all? I've never seen any wizard stores before." Faye exclaimed.  
  
"You'll find out soon enough." Her mom replied.  
  
Faye's dad came in. Faye asked, "what do they mean by 'we await your owl by no later than July 31'?"  
  
"Owls are to wizards and witches as postmen are to Muggles," her mom said. "I didn't use them because. well, just because." She added.  
  
"Which reminds me, why did you keep this a giant secret from me for all the 10 and a half years of my life?" Faye asked.  
  
Her mom started to stutter, "W-well, I-I just didn't want. well, never mind." She ended.  
  
"Amee, grow up. Faye, we kept it a secret because your mother didn't want you to be disappointed." Her father said.  
  
"Aaron!"  
  
"Please don't fight. I just wish that you had told me before. Yes, I would have been disappointed," Faye began, and her mom gave her dad a look of superiority, "but, I would have gotten over it," she finished, as her mom gave a sigh of exasperation. All of the sudden, Faye asked, "Do we really fly on broomsticks?"  
  
Her mother chuckled. "Oh, yes! There's a sport, called Quidditch, played on broomsticks. I love Quidditch, but I must confess that I cannot play it very well." She said.  
  
"Cool," Faye said. "Anything else I should know?" she asked.  
  
"Well," her mom said, rocking back on the couch, "there is one thing.." 


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Yeah, I know we've all heard this story before, and it's getting old, but I had to add it, the story needs it. Just bear with me the real action starts in Diagon Alley. Warning: This chapter is pretty long. All my chapters are. :-) It was grueling to type all this!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"A Story and Diagon Alley"  
  
Her mom sighed. "Bad things can happen, even, or maybe especially, in the magic world. Listen to this story:  
  
"There was once, and still may be, a wizard who turned bad. He was so evil and did such horrendous things, that now we don't even mention his name." She began.  
  
"What is his name?" Faye asked.  
  
"I was hoping you wouldn't make me say it, but just so you know, his name was. Voldemort." Her mother replied with a shudder.  
  
Voldemort. Just the name made chills run up and down her spine. She already began to fear him, though she didn't have any reason too, not yet.  
  
"Now we just call him You-Know-Who," her mom remarked. "Well, anyway, he gathered followers; he got many. Some came out of fear; some wanted some of his power, and others for different reasons. He got very, very powerful. He killed all who opposed him. Two very good people named Lily and James Potter opposed him." Faye gasped.  
  
"They had a son named Harry. He's probably about your age now. Well, You-Know-Who found out about the Potters. One day he came to the town where they lived. He killed Lily and James," she said, her voice quavering a little, "But when he went to kill little Harry, he couldn't. He tried, mind you, but Harry Potter survived the death curse. Then, You-Know-Who vanished. Nobody knows why he left, or where he is now. Nobody, save a few, knows why Harry, just a baby, survived a curse that even the best witches and wizards could not. And not many people know where he is now.." Her mom stopped, on the verge of tears.  
  
"You know." Faye said. "Right?"  
  
"Yes, I do know." Her mom said.  
  
"Where is he?" Faye asked, curious.  
  
"He is at the Dursely's, his only family left. He's lived with them for 10 years. But the Durselys hate him and treat him like a slave. I knew that I should have." her mom began, but stopped again. "I'm sorry," she said, "This is very painful for me."  
  
"Why?" Faye asked.  
  
"Because," her mom said slowly, "Lily Potter was my best friend."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Faye stared at her mom in amazement. "Really?" was all she could say.  
  
Her mom nodded and replied, "Yes."  
  
"Let me get this all straight. You and Lily Potter were best friends. You knew that she opposed Voldemort, oops, I mean You-Know-Who, and that he would try to kill her because of that. So you asked a wise old wizard called Albus Dumbledore for help, and he suggested some secret keeping charm. It is a very difficult charm, and involves a Secret Keeper. OK, I got that much." Faye said, relaying all the information that her mother had just told her.  
  
"Yes, you are right." Her mom replied. "But there's more. On the night they were going to perform the charm, Lily and I." she begun, but was interrupted by Faye's dad.  
  
"Amee! They need you in Diagon Alley! Quick!" He said.  
  
"What's Diagon Alley?" Faye asked.  
  
"No time for explaining right now. Come with me. We'll get your school supplies at Diagon Alley." Her mother said, hastening Faye out the door and into the car. Faye was lucky - she still had the list of supplies needed in her hand. When they were well on their way, her mom spoke again. "Sorry about that. But when they call for me, I come." Her mom laughed.  
  
"Who's 'they'?" Faye asked.  
  
"Other witches and wizards. I work part-time in a sort of Muggle cover- up agency. I specialize in charms, particularly the Memory Charm. We have to use that a lot, you know." Her mom replied.  
  
"Wow, really?" Faye said in awe. "Sounds like a cool job."  
  
"It can be fun," her mom said, "but sometimes it can be very difficult. Working for the Ministry of Magic can be frustrating. The Ministry of Magic has several divisions, but I won't go into all that detail right now," she said.  
  
"Hogwarts is a big school, right? So how do they organize all the students? They all can't have the same classes at the same time!" Faye asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Oh, right! I almost forgot! There are different age groups of course. Then there are four houses, or groups of students, called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. You stay in the same house for the rest of your time in Hogwarts. Your house is like your family." Her mom replied.  
  
"Oh.. How do they know what house to put you in?" Faye asked.  
  
"You have a lot of questions!" her mom said, "but I'll gladly answer them. Anyway, certain types of people go into certain houses. I hope you'll be in Gryffindor, like I was, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be that bad either. They're very good houses," her mom added.  
  
"What about Hufflepuff and Slytherin?" Faye asked. "Are they bad or something?"  
  
Her mom laughed. "No. It's just that Hufflepuff doesn't get much glory. Though, if you were in Hufflepuff, you'd change that. As for Slytherin - let me put it this way: no dark witch or wizard who went to school at Hogwarts has been in any other house." She said.  
  
"OK then. I want to be in Gryffindor!" Faye said.  
  
"Good choice. Oh, here we are," her mom said, pointing to a little bar called the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
"The Leaky Cauldron?" Faye said. "This isn't Diagon Alley, is it? It looks perfectly normal to me."  
  
"No, this isn't Diagon Alley. Just follow me." Her mom said. They walked into the Leaky Cauldron. It was strange, because nobody else outside seemed to notice that it was there. Faye's mom introduced a few people, and then hurried on. There were lots of people there.  
  
"Oh, hello Mrs. Weasley!" her mom said to one lady.  
  
"Who are you?" Mrs. Weasley asked.  
  
"Amelia Rowess, remember me?" her mom said.  
  
"Oh! Hi, Amelia! Is this your daughter, Faye?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Her mom nodded and Mrs. Weasley said, "Nice to meet you again!" Faye shook her hand. "The last time I saw you, you were a baby! Amelia, I'm here for school supply shopping, are you?" Mrs. Weasley asked.  
  
"Yes and no." her mom replied. "I got called here by the Ministry of Magic. I'm with the division that deals with covering up charms and such that were cast on Muggles. I really should be going.."  
  
"Oh! I didn't know you worked for the Ministry of Magic! Well, if this is any help for you, I believe that Cornelius Fudge is at Quidditch Supplies, Etc. I saw him in there while shopping."  
  
"Who's Cornelius Fudge?" Faye asked.  
  
"The Minister of Magic. Now come on, we have to go." Her mom said.  
  
Faye's mom thanked Mrs. Weasley and walked to the back of the bar. She tapped on some bricks with a wand she pulled out from her coat and an arch appeared before them. They stepped inside; they were in Diagon Alley.  
  
"Can you go and get your books by yourself while I go find Fudge?" her mom asked. "And stay out of trouble?"  
  
"Sure thing, Mom." Faye said. Her mom ran off down the street, and Faye entered the bookstore Flourish and Blotts. She wandered up and down the sections, getting all the books she needed off the shelves. She walked down the transfiguration aisle and saw a girl who was about her age, at the same section where her textbook would be. "Hi!" she said, "I'm Faye Rowess, who are you?"  
  
"I'm Hermione Granger." The girl said. "Are you going to Hogwarts? I am. I'll be a First Year, what about you?"  
  
"Yes, I'm going to Hogwarts, and I guess I'll be a First Year. I don't know that much about Hogwarts yet. I didn't know I was a witch until today. My mom is a witch, and I didn't even know she was either until I got my letter." Faye remarked.  
  
"My parents are Muggles," Hermione said.  
  
"The magic world is so amazing!" Faye said. "What house do you want to be in?" she asked.  
  
"Definitely Gryffindor. I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be that bad either," Hermione said.  
  
Faye and Hermione talked more. They quickly became friends. Faye asked, "Do you know how they sort people into their houses?"  
  
"Nope. People say there's some sort of test or something. I've heard lots of different rumors, but no fact to base my own opinion on," Hermione said.  
  
Just then, a boy with sleek blonde hair came by. "Hello," he said, "are you going to be first years? I am. I can't believe they aren't allowing first years to have broomsticks. It's so unfair. Maybe I'll get Dad to smuggle mine in for me," he added, smirking.  
  
"Who are you?" Faye asked.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. I am Draco Malfoy." The boy said.  
  
Faye could barely hold in her laughter. "I'm Faye Rowess." She said. Draco Malfoy, she thought, what kind of a name is that?  
  
"I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione said. She also looked like she would burst into laughter at any given moment too.  
  
"I come from one of the finest, and richest, mind you, wizard families in all of England." Draco said.  
  
"Oh, really." Hermione said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Yes, I do." Draco said, starting to sense that maybe he was disliked by these two girls. (He was very right.) He thought, well, if being nice doesn't work, I'll just be nasty! "I've never heard of the name 'Granger' before," he said, looking at Hermione. "Are you a pureblood?"  
  
"My parents are Muggles, not magical, if that's what you mean." Hermione said. She didn't like this guy already.  
  
Faye, sensing Hermione's discomfort, changed the subject. "What house do you want to be in?" she asked Draco. Thank you Faye! Hermione thought.  
  
"Definitely Slytherin!" Draco said. "All of my family was in Slytherin. It is, by far, the best house of them all."  
  
Slytherin! The Dark magic house! They didn't care about what house people were in, but neither Faye nor Hermione liked Draco at all now. He offered out his hand to shake, but there was no way she would ever be a friend with Draco Malfoy. She grabbed her transfiguration book and said, "Come on Hermione, I want you to meet my mom."  
  
"Yeah, go, go ahead and walk out on me!" Draco shouted. "Go and take your little Mudblood friend with you! You'll be sorry you don't have me on your side! I'll teach you that nobody, I tell you NOBODY, messes with Draco Malfoy!" he said.  
  
Faye turned around and said, "Oh, I'm so scared. No way! I think you'll be the one doing the learning, Malfoy. You'll be the one learning that nobody messes with Faye Rowess and gets out of it unharmed! Good bye!" As they walked out the door, Hermione said, "You go Faye! Where's your mom anyway? I'd like to meet her."  
  
"There she is!" Faye said, pointing to her mother. "Hey mom! Over here!" Her mom walked over.  
  
"We got the whole matter sorted out. Did you get all your books? Oh, hi! Who is this?" her mom asked.  
  
Faye introduced Hermione and her mom. "We also made an enemy." Faye said. Her mom gave her a puzzling look. "His name is Draco Malfoy. By the way, what's a Mudblood?" she asked.  
  
"Did Draco say that?" her mom asked. Faye nodded. "A 'Mudblood' is someone who is a Muggle-born witch or wizard. To call somebody that is very ignorant and rude. Wait, did you say Draco MALFOY?" Faye nodded again. Her mother looked shocked, but only for a moment. "Malfoy." she said with contempt in her voice. "I should've known. That boy, Draco. his dad is a follower of You-Know-Who." Faye gaped, but Hermione looked puzzled. "He said that he doesn't obey him anymore," her mom continued, "but I can't believe him. You have no idea how much I loathe Lucius.." She broke off and Faye's eyes sparkled.  
  
"I could understand, if you told me." She said slowly.  
  
"Nice try," her mom said.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"This is so cool! I like your mom!" Hermione said. Faye just smiled. Her mom had let her and Hermione do all their shopping together, by themselves. Hermione's parents had agreed. Hermione said it was because they were Muggle dentists and didn't really care. "Let's get our robes first," Hermione said, gesturing towards a shop called "Madam Malkin's Robes for Every Occasion". They went inside and saw three girls being fitted. They looked like they were related.  
  
"Hi!" Faye said, "I'm Faye Rowess, and this is Hermione Granger. We're going to Hogwarts this year, are you?"  
  
The one who was getting fitted said, "Hi! I'm Shawna Stepp, and this is my sister Laura and my cousin Sarah."  
  
"You really look alike!" Hermione said.  
  
"I know, everybody says that," Sarah said. "Our uncle is a professor at Hogwarts. He is Professor Snape." They talked for a while. The girls wanted to be in Slytherin. When Faye said that she heard it was a bad house, Sarah laughed and Laura said, "Slytherin rocks!" Shawna pointed out that just because some bad witches and wizards come out of Slytherin doesn't mean that all members of Slytherin were bad. After the girls got their robes, they left, saying that they'd see Hermione and Faye at Hogwarts.  
  
After they got their robes, Hermione and Faye went to the Apothecary, which had lots of gross stuff but lots of cool stuff too. They got their ingredients they needed for Potions class, then left. Faye said that they should get their wands next. So, they set off for the wand shop. It was dark and shabby. When they entered, they saw nobody.  
  
"Hello," a voice said, making Faye and Hermione jump. It was the wand seller, Mr. Ollivander. "Now who may you two be?"  
  
"I'm Faye Rowess and this is Hermione Granger," Faye said. Her mom entered the shop and said, "I was looking for you!"  
  
"Ah, are you her mother?" Mr. Ollivander said. Amelia just took off her glasses and smiled. "Oh! I remember you!" Mr. Ollivander said. "Yew, 10 ½ inches, dragon heartstring, wasn't it? Very good wand, that one. Perfect for Charm work."  
  
It didn't take Hermione long to find her wand. After she was done, Mr. Ollivander asked her to put out her arm hand. Faye looked at her mom questioningly. "You're left-handed, so your wand hand is your left." Her mom said. Faye stuck out her wand hand.  
  
"Let's try this one. Oak, 10 ¼ inches, unicorn hair." Mr. Ollivander said. He put it in her hand, but as she raised it to give it a try, Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of her hand. "Hmm. Let's try this one. Holly, 9 inches, dragon heartstring." Again, he snatched it away. "How about ebony, 9 ¾ inches, unicorn hair?" That one didn't work either. "Not that one," he said, "but that's a good length." Faye tried and tried. "Alright," Mr. Ollivander said, "maybe this one will work: willow, 9 ¾ inches, phoenix tail feather. Very unusual combination.". Faye took the wand and raised it. She flicked it, and blue and purple sparks came out.  
  
"Yes!" her mom said. She'd started to get tired of watching. "Faye," she said as they left the wand shop, "would you like an owl, cat, or toad?"  
  
"Owl." Faye said.  
  
"Well, we need a family owl anyway. We can just split one, OK?"  
  
Faye nodded, and they got an owl. After they were done all the shopping, Faye said, "I like this place. Who would've thought that I'd make a friend, an enemy, and get all my school supplies in one day!" 


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: A lot of the stuff about Animagi I made up. If any of the information in the "textbook" is wrong, make sure you note it in your review. Thanks! :-) Also, no, Harry and Faye do not hook up.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"The Strange Platform and the Train Ride"  
  
"Ooh! Let's try this one! It turns things yellow!" Faye said, pointing in her book. She and Hermione were looking ahead in their schoolbooks, and they were in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, looking very far away.  
  
"Not anything, only animals." Hermione said.  
  
"Whatever." Faye said. "Anyway, it looks simple. The spell is melocius amilosum." Faye tried it on Zoë. Her poor dog was now a bright daisy yellow, more yellow than she had ever been. "Oops!" Faye said. "Does the book say what the spell is to undo it?" The picture in the book didn't make the animal look quite that yellow.  
  
Hermione shook her head. "I guess the author didn't think you'd try it on your dog, and you wouldn't need the counter spell."  
  
Faye bit her lip. "MOM!" she yelled. Amelia Rowess came running up the stairs, took one look at Zoë, and sat down hard on the bed. "What did you do to that poor dog? I mean, what spell?"  
  
"This one," Faye said, showing her mom the picture in the book. "I'm sorry, I didn't think it would actually work."  
  
"That's OK. I happen to have dealt with that spell before. Unamalmus! She said, pointing her wand at Zoë. Zoë returned to her normal color. Faye wrote that down, otherwise she wouldn't remember it among all the other spells, charms, and curses she was learning.  
  
"You can go back to your studying." Her mom said, and went back down the stairs.  
  
"We're almost through this book!" Hermione shouted. "We only have on more lesson to go through. Ooh, look! There are curses! The Leglocker Curse, the Curse of the Bogies! How awesome!"  
  
"Before we try them on anybody, we should learn the counter curses," Faye said. "I've learned that lesson very well!"  
  
"OK. The Leglocker Curse goes like this," Hermione said, raising her wand and taking a deep breath.  
  
"Whoa, wait! What's the counter curse?" Faye asked.  
  
"Oops!" Hermione said. Faye rolled her eyes, but then her mom called up that dinner was ready. They left their books open on the bed and ran downstairs.  
  
"That was quick mom!" Faye said.  
  
"I have one word for you: Magic." Her mom said, smiling.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"That was really good, Mrs. Rowess." Hermione said after dinner. "Come on Faye, let's look at the transfiguration book now!"  
  
They dashed up the stairs, and Amelia Rowess stood, staring after them, shaking her head. Aaron came up behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I've created a monster," Amelia said sarcastically. Aaron smiled, but his face became serious.  
  
"You know, you're going to have to tell her the rest she doesn't know someday," he said.  
  
Amelia Rowess turned around to face him. "No I don't!" she said, then sighed. "Do we have to talk about this now? Tomorrow is the day when she leaves for Hogwarts."  
  
"Amee, before you were able to talk me out of telling her that she was magical because you said you'd tell her yourself. You never did. I'm not falling for that again. She's almost 11 years old, and she doesn't even know her true name or family.."  
  
"Aaron!"  
  
"It's true, Amee. She knows her family on my side, but not yours." He replied.  
  
"Alright," Amelia said slowly, in defeat. "I'll tell her." She sighed. She always lost arguments about these types of things? I'm not going to tell her, she thought, Aaron isn't right this time. I'll refuse to be deterred from what I think is best for Faye!  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Here, I'll use this pencil. I never liked it anyway." Faye said, picking up a pencil to use for transfiguration. She wanted to turn it into a coat hanger. She concentrated, said the spell, and flicked her wand at the pencil. It stayed the same, and then the point turned to metal, extended, and curved. The rest narrowed and formed the bottom part of the coat hanger. Faye smiled. It worked!  
  
"I can't believe you did it! It says right here that this is the hardest thing to transfigure in the first chapter!" Hermione said.  
  
Faye shrugged. "What? That doesn't make sense. This was the first time I've ever tried to transfigure something," she said, "so it obviously can't be that hard."  
  
Hermione just turned back in her book. "Hey! Look at this! There are people who can turn into animals!"  
  
"Show me!" Faye said.  
  
"It says right here on page 104." Hermione said. Faye turned to page 104. She read:  
  
iLesson 38: Animagi There is an ability that is passed on genetically which allows one to take on the form of a creature. These people are called Animagi. They are all registered, or should be. The first sign of a potential Animagus is an outstanding ability with transfiguration. The next sign, accidental transfiguration, doesn't normally begin until their magic training begins. Below is a list of famous Animagi.. /i  
  
The list went on, telling the names of famous Animagi and their deeds. Faye looked through it, wishing all the time that she could have the powers of an Animagus. "Wow," was all she could say. She read on:  
  
i Animagi normally have a form that is easier for them to take. This is called their home form. It is normally a simple creature, such as a cat, dog, or rat. Other forms, such as the phoenix and hippogriff, are harder to take. Only Animagi that are very hard working achieve the ability to take these forms. /i  
  
Hermione said, "Wouldn't that be cool, to be able to turn into any animal you want?"  
  
"Yeah," Faye replied, "I think that it'd be cool to be able to turn into a phoenix and heal people with your tears. Phoenixes are my favorite magical creatures, I think."  
  
"I also read that phoenixes are very beautiful." Hermione remarked.  
  
They studied on for hours, and went through every single textbook they had. Faye's favorite was transfiguration, though. Hermione thought she had a natural talent for it, and Faye had read that excellent transfiguration abilities are normally inherited. Her mom had told her that all of the members of her dad's family were Muggles. So she had to have inherited her transfiguration ability from her mom's side. "Hmm." she said, "I wonder.."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"I am so excited!" Faye said. "We're going to Hogwarts now!"  
  
"Come on, everybody get in the car!" her mom said. Aaron looked at her. Had she really told Faye? Faye didn't seem to be affected, if she did know. Amee didn't tell her, she thought, Goodness! She sure is stubborn! I'll tell her myself!  
  
Hermione and Faye packed their trunks into the car and they set off for the train station. Faye couldn't wait to get there. She had so much to learn and do. The drive in the car seemed endless. They finally pulled up at the train station. Her mom handed them their tickets.  
  
Faye took a look at her ticket. "OK, we have to be on Platform 9 ¾. Wait! Platform 9 ¾? Where is that?" she asked her grinning mother.  
  
"Guess." She replied.  
  
"Hey, isn't 9 ¾ the length of your wand?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yeah. Well anyway, there's Platform 9, and there's Platform 10. Platform 9 ¾ would be in between the two. Hmm. do we need to walk through the barrier or something?" Faye asked.  
  
Her mom smiled and nodded. "Yes! Gee, you're smart! You're right. You walk, or run, through that barrier. Well, I'll see you later!" her mom said, "Have a good school year!"  
  
Faye looked at Hermione and said, "You go first." Hermione took a running start and ran straight through the brick wall! Faye took a deep breath and ran. She closed her eyes and waited for a crash impact, but she felt none. She opened her eyes, and there was Platform 9 ¾! "Wow!" she said. There were lots of people, all going in different directions. She and Hermione stepped on the Hogwarts train. They chose a seat and put away their baggage.  
  
"I can't believe it!" Faye said. "We're going to Hogwarts!"  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Have you seen my toad?" Asked a boy stopping by their compartment.  
  
"No. I'm sorry. Would you like us to help you find him?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yes, thank you! By the way, my name's Neville Longbottom."  
  
So Faye and Hermione asked around, but nobody had seen Neville's toad. Then they came to a compartment where two boys were sitting. One had black hair and green eyes, and he was thin. The other had red hair and freckles.  
  
"Hello. Have you seen a toad around here?" Hermione asked.  
  
"No. Who are you?" the red haired boy asked.  
  
"I'm Faye Rowess, and this is my friend Hermione Granger. What are your names?" Faye said.  
  
"I'm Ron Weasley." The red haired boy said. "And he," he said, pointing to the other boy, "is Harry Potter."  
  
Faye gasped. Hermione said, "Nice to meet you." She obviously had never heard the story of Harry Potter before. Well, of course not, she was raised as a Muggle. But Faye stood there, with a dazed look on her face. That small, black haired, green-eyed boy was the only person who had survived the killing curse? Harry Potter? Couldn't be. But. "The scar?" Faye asked him.  
  
"Oh yeah." He showed her the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.  
  
"My mom was your mom's best friend!" Faye said.  
  
Now it was Harry's turn to be amazed. "My mum? I never knew her. What was your mom's name?" he asked.  
  
"Amelia Rowess, but everyone calls her Amee," Faye said.  
  
"Well, it was nice to meet you two," Hermione said, but Ron interrupted.  
  
"Do you want to see me turn my rat yellow?" he asked. Faye and Hermione nodded. He mumbled some poem and pointed his wand at the rat, but it didn't work. Faye took out a piece of paper and scrawled the real spell on it. She handed it to Ron.  
  
"This one isn't a dud," she said, and they left the car.  
  
Neville came running up. "I found my toad!" he said, "Thank you for helping me."  
  
"You're welcome," they said. Then, they saw Draco and two other boys in the hallway. Faye nudged Hermione with her elbow and pointed to them. They ducked back into their car, but it was too late. Draco had seen them. He knocked on their door, opened it and said, "Do you mind if I introduce my friends?"  
  
"Well, actually." Faye began, but was interrupted by Draco.  
  
"This is Crabbe, and this is Goyle." He continued.  
  
"Very nice, now go away." Hermione said.  
  
"What if we don't want to?" Draco said with a smug grin.  
  
"We'll make you!" Faye said.  
  
"What are you going to do? Shoot sparks at me? Oh, I'm so scared." Draco said sarcastically, Crabbe and Goyle snickering.  
  
"You should be." Faye said. "Hermione and I know a charm so powerful it'll blast you against the wall!"  
  
Malfoy smirked. "Well then, go right ahead."  
  
Faye ticked off her fingers behind her back. 1. 2. 3.. "Expelliarmus plubi!" they shouted in unison. It worked! Faye had never done that charm on anything before, but it worked. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were blasted against the opposite wall.  
  
"You may have won this time," Draco said, "but this won't be the last you'll see of us!"  
  
Faye and Hermione just stood there, watching a gasping Draco lead his friends back to their car. To this day, Faye doesn't know how Draco survived it without any injuries.  
  
Then, the train jerked and slowed down. 


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: (I sure have a lot of these don't I?) Shawna, Sarah, and Laura are friends of mine in real life. This story was originally made for us at school, so therefore Sarah and Shawna have the boyfriends they have because that's whom they wanted and I didn't really care. So, that's why. If you think that's really stupid you can tell me so though. :-)  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Hogwarts and the Sorting Hat"  
  
When they got off the train, Faye was disappointed. "Where is it?" she asked. Hermione shrugged. Faye picked up her trunk and started walking. She walked into a giant!  
  
The giant said, "Hi there! I'm Hagrid, the Keeper of the Keys at Hogwarts. Need some help?"  
  
"Where's Hogwarts?" Faye asked.  
  
"We have a long journey to git there. A walk an' a boat ride." Hagrid said. "Only the firs' years have to do that though, the others go in carriages."  
  
"Wow." Hermione said.  
  
Then Sarah, Shawna, and Laura got off the train! "Hi!" Shawna said.  
  
"Hi!" Hermione replied.  
  
"Where's Hogwarts?" Laura asked.  
  
"Far away," Faye said, smiling. Then, Sarah left them and started talking to some boy. "Who's that?" Faye asked.  
  
Laura and Shawna looked at each other, then at Faye and said, "Oliver Wood." Then they burst into laughter.  
  
Hagrid called all of the first years, and they began the walk to Hogwarts. The underbrush was very thick and they had to cut it down with a Severing Charm. After they had cut through all the underbrush, they came to a flat area surrounded a huge lake. Across the lake and over another long plain was the small form of a castle, silhouetted in the moonlight.  
  
"Wow.!" Faye said.  
  
Surrounding the plains was a huge, dark forest. It looked evil. "We don't have to go through the forest, do we?" Hermione whispered.  
  
"I don't know, but I hope not," Faye said.  
  
Hagrid told them to get into the boats at the edge of the lake. Hermione and Faye got in one and the boat started drifting slowly, no, magically across the lake. Faye peered ahead into the deep, jet-black water. She couldn't see anything; it was too murky. A creature shot a tentacle out of the water suddenly, and waved it around, as if searching for their boat. Faye gasped and tapped Hermione, who was gazing at the castle ahead. Hermione turned around and Faye pointed to where the tentacle had been, but it was gone.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Creatures live in here," Faye said. "Creatures with tentacles that grab boats."  
  
"Oh, please." Hermione said sarcastically.  
  
Then, 3 tentacles shot out of the water and grabbed her. She started screaming. Faye took out her wand and said the first spell that came to her mind. "Melocius amilosum!" she shouted. The animal was now bright daisy yellow. Stunned by the spell, it released Hermione and dived beneath the surface. Hermione looked at Faye, and Faye smiled. They both burst into laughter.  
  
"Why yellow?" Hermione asked when they stopped laughing.  
  
"Ever since I turned Zoë yellow, I've never forgotten that spell. It was the first spell that came to mind." Faye said, smiling.  
  
"Now there will be a yellow whatever-that-was in this pond!" Hermione said, giggling.  
  
They settled down, and it was just as dark and mysterious as before. Faye looked up at the moon. It was full. The moonlight shimmered down on the lake. She shivered. She wasn't superstitious, but a full moon still gave her the creeps. Plus, in the magical world what seems like a superstition to the Muggles is real, like werewolves.  
  
"Look! We're almost at the edge!" Hermione said, breaking the eerie silence.  
  
The boat gently bumped the other bank. Faye and Hermione got out. Ahead, across a long plain, was Hogwarts! They could see the towers rising above the mist. There was a field on one side, with golden hoops raised high into the air.  
  
They started to walk and finally everyone was in front of two great doors. Hagrid opened them and they walked into a small room. Hagrid left, and everybody was talking excitedly.  
  
"I heard we have to take a test," someone said.  
  
Hermione started babbling on about what spell she should use. Faye rolled her eyes and talked to Sarah. "Do you have a crush on Oliver Wood or something?" she asked her.  
  
"Well, duh, he's my boyfriend!" Sarah said.  
  
"Oh. How long have you been together?" Faye asked. Sarah opened her mouth to answer, but a lady came in and demanded their attention.  
  
"Attention!" she said. Everybody stopped talking. "Hello," she continued, "and welcome to Hogwarts. In a few minutes you will be led into the Great Hall. When we call your name you will come up, sit down, and the Sorting Hat will placed on your head. You will be sorted into the four houses accordingly. The houses are: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." As she paused, Faye saw Draco nod as in approval of Slytherin. "All houses are good, and are known for special qualities. Good luck." The woman said, then walked away.  
  
"Who was that?" Faye asked Hermione.  
  
"How would I know?" Hermione replied.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Look! The doors are opening!" Laura said.  
  
They all walked into the Great Hall. It was huge, and beautiful. The ceiling was enchanted to look like the sky outside, so it looked as if the whole hall opened up to the sky. They were led up to the front, and the Sorting began.  
  
The lady, whom Faye had found out was Professor McGonagall, began calling names. She started with the A's. "Angelo, Chloe." She said. She put the Sorting Hat on the nervous girl's head and the hat declared her a Ravenclaw. "Bones, Susan," was a Hufflepuff. It went on and on. Faye got more nervous as each name was called. "Granger, Hermione" was in Gryffindor. Faye applauded. Now she really hoped that she'd be in Gryffindor too. "Kostkowski, Tia" was in Gryffindor too. "Potter, Harry" took a long time. The Sorting Hat couldn't decide. Eventually, he got placed in Gryffindor. Faye was so nervous. What if she was placed in Slytherin? Well, she'd have Shawna, Sarah, and Laura in her house. Still. "Quedante, Amy" was in Slytherin. Finally, Professor McGonagall called, "Rowess, Faye."  
  
Faye slowly walked up and sat down on the Sorting stool. The last thing she saw before the dark, patched-up hat was placed on her head and dropped over her eyes was Hermione, crossing her fingers.  
  
The hat said, "Hmm. let me see. Ah, another one in your family. I know where to put you! GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Professor McGonagall took the hat off Faye's head and smiled at her. Faye got off the stool and almost floated down to the Gryffindor table and sat next to Hermione. Faye slapped hands with all the other Gryffindors around her and watched the rest of the people get sorted. "Stepp, Laura", "Stepp, Shawna", and "Stepp, Sarah" were all in Slytherin. The last person to be sorted was "Zirron, Kira" who was in Ravenclaw.  
  
An old, wise-looking wizard stood up and said he had a few rules. He told them not to go into the forest, 3rd floor, etc. He silenced them after he told them the rules, saying he had a few more words to say. They "Nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak". Harry asked one of Ron's brothers I he was mad. He laughed and said he was Professor Dumbledore, very wise and a great wizard, but a little mad, yes.  
  
Then, golden plates appeared, and lots of food after them. The feast had begun. 


End file.
